The most helpful favorable review

The most helpful critical review

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 starsA welcome and overdue career-overview/bio of the gore Godfather.
A friend and I were lucky enough to see this on the big screen in NYC last Spring, and we both loved it. A funny, illuminating, and overdue love-letter to the Godfather Of Gore, the film delves deeply into Lewis' career (if not his personal life) and we follow it's trajectory film by film. Narration and interview clips with Lewis, producing-partner David F. Friedman, cult...

3.0 out of 5 starsAn Okay Documentary
This is a documentary about Herschell Gordon Lewis, who has been dubbed "The Godfather of Gore". He directed such films as Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs, and Wizard of Gore. This is a pretty interesting documentary, showing many clips of his old movies, and even some that he didn't direct. There is a good bit of nudity in the some of the clips. I was disappointed however that...

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

A friend and I were lucky enough to see this on the big screen in NYC last Spring, and we both loved it. A funny, illuminating, and overdue love-letter to the Godfather Of Gore, the film delves deeply into Lewis' career (if not his personal life) and we follow it's trajectory film by film. Narration and interview clips with Lewis, producing-partner David F. Friedman, cult auteur Frank Henenlotter, and Trash reviewer Joe Bob Briggs keep the viewer in the loop - providing context, and lots of laughs. Fans of Cult/Trash/Horror/Exploitation cinema need to have this dvd nestled between their copies of 'Blood Feast' and 'Color Me Blood Red', as it serves to provide much-needed backround info on one of our unsung horror-heroes, and works as an unusually entertaining shlockumentary.

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

This is a documentary about Herschell Gordon Lewis, who has been dubbed "The Godfather of Gore". He directed such films as Blood Feast, 2000 Maniacs, and Wizard of Gore. This is a pretty interesting documentary, showing many clips of his old movies, and even some that he didn't direct. There is a good bit of nudity in the some of the clips. I was disappointed however that there no talk of Blood Feast 2: All You Can Eat, which is my favorite H.G. Lewis film. This doc is still worth watching for his fans, though.

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

Well, Lewis finally gets his own documentary! And how is it? Well, it's good. The thing about it is that this film will only be viewed by Lewis fans. And because cult horror fans are such buffs for behind the scenes information, there probably isn't a lot in this documentary that fans didn't already know. We still like watching this stuff though, even if we do know most of what we're being told already.Naturally this film focuses on Lewis' film career in as much depth as the running time allows. Lewis made so many films that there wouldn't really be enough time to look at each one individually, and as a result, many are briefly mentioned or skipped over entirely. The focus is mainly on his early days with the "nudie cuties", and of course, the gore films. It doesn't cover his comeback with Blood Feast 2, but stops after his initial retirement from film with 1972's The Gore Gore Girls.It's definitely a career retrospective and not a biography, as practically nothing is mentioned about his upbringing or childhood-Nothing really about his personal life at all, except that he has a very nice house! I suppose I would have liked to get into the man's mind a bit more, as Herschell is a rather fascinating man. His personality is so at odds with his films that it's staggering. I met him once myself and found him to be an absolute joy to talk to.Insights into Lewis are given by David Friedman, Joe Bob Briggs, John Waters, Frank Hennenlotter(who also served as co-director of this documentary), and various individuals who have worked with Lewis over the years. It's cool to see Mal Arnold and Ray Sager today, and hear what they have to say.Anyhow, this is a film made for a very specific audience, and I'm sure that that particular audience will check this movie out at some point, good reviews or bad.But for the record, it is good!

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

must watch if your a fan or even if you never watched one of his moviesits a very fun imformative and entertaining. from the early days to the beginning of the gore and on its all told by the godfather of gore himself hg lewis, along with long time partner david friedman, john waters and joe bob briggs and so many actors including mel arnold give testimony to this directors work.

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

He has often been called offensive, untalented, degenerate, and utterly reprehensible, but to Horror fans, he is best known as Herschell Gordon Lewis, the Godfather of Gore! With BLOOD FEAST, Lewis and producer David F. Friedman introduced the world to the very first gore film, which changed the cinematic landscape forever. Now, director Frank Henenlotter (BASKET CASE) takes a look back at Lewis' remarkable career in the new documentary HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS, THE GODFATHER OF GORE. From his early beginnings in the 'Nudie Cutie' films to the advent of gore and on through to his later entries like THE WIZARD OF GORE and THE GORE GORE GIRLS, we are given the complete and definitive history for one of Horror's most influential filmmakers as told by his cast and crew along with many other special guests. In addition to both David F. Friedman and H.G. Lewis, notable critics and directors like Joe Bob Briggs, John Waters, and even Frank Henenlotter, himself, pop in with insightful commentary and hilarious stories surrounding the films. GODFATHER is sharply edited with a wonderful integration of film clips that enhance each conversation on screen. Henenlotter has chosen only the most interesting and engaging stories to include in the documentary, along with over an hour of additional scenes that did not quite make the cut. Viewers are also given the very first look at Lewis' never-before-seen AN EYE FOR AN EYE, which remains unedited and unreleased to this very day. While the documentary will certainly only appeal to hardcore exploitation and gore fans, admirers of Herschell Gordon Lewis will admit that this is a fitting tribute and an excellent book end to a wild and crazy career.

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

Yeah I know its only a doco and propably wont benifit massively by being on blu ray but its HGL and it should be on blu ray for that reason alone but in the words of HGL's character Mr Gordon from Chainsaw Sally - "Can't complain, and even if I did....Who Would Listen!!"

This review is from: Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (DVD)

Greetings.

Godfather of Gore: The Herschell Gordon Lewis Documentary (2011), proves to be a vivid colour transfer from film stock to DVD format, as today's HD TV display buyers demand. Joe Bob Briggs (the actor John Bloom) never looked better. This DVD is so brilliant in colours, whilst being deeply learned yet pellucid with commentary, I expect this film to run as an IFC evergreen, with that intellectual TV network's own productions such as Indie Sex.

I award Godfather of Gore 11.5 stars out of 5, the 11.5 being, coincidentally, the alcohol content of those cheap CA "Champagnes," a fitting toast to GoG.